Pub News

Came across this interesting article from the Yorkshire Evening Post.

Looks like Gerry Sutcliffe (MP Bradford South - Licensing Minister for the country) - could be taking a leaf out of our policy.....

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UKIP Says: "...would also allow the designation of established pubs for pub use only in local plans, to avoid closure and conversion into other uses, where there is a strong local desire to retain pubs "

Ministers Say: "Ministers are also looking at beefing up planning rules to prevent former pub buildings being so easily bulldozed."

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UKIP Says: "...would cut business rates and taxes on community pubs. "

Minister Say: "WEST Yorkshire pubs that are “centres of the community” could enjoy lower business rates under proposals being examined by the Government."

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UKIP Says: "...would reduce both EU derived regulations, and UK regulations and controls, and tone down enforcement regimes, involving variously licences, permits, certificates, surveys, reports, audits, contracts, procedures, assessments and policies."

Ministers Say: "Licensing minister Gerry Sutcliffe said planned action includes simplifying minor changes to licences and helping pubs stay open when the licence holder dies."

"She (Treasury Minister Angela Eagle) rejected calls for lower alcohol tax for pubs compared to supermarkets, saying it would be illegal under EU law."
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Looks like Gerry and chums are taking pages out of our book! ... and yes, according to the Treasury Minister, EU rules are stopping us from looking at potential alternatives!
UKIP spot on again ;)


UKIP Pub Policy: http://www.ukip.org/media/pdf/pubs.pdf
UKIP Campaign Website: http://www.savethepub.co.uk/

Quango has the Power

Reported has been the stimulus of £10 billion by Gordon Brown to help create jobs.
All very nice to hear and much needed too, but no doubt we won't be getting a Council Tax cut from whatever money is trickled down to the Tory Bradford Council.

What is made clear in the report is that the Regional Development Agency (Yorkshire forward) holds the power of attorney over how much money will be given to Bradford.
This is a regional quango much like the Regional Assembly an un-elected, unaccountable, middle man wasting tax payers money when it could be spent on better public services.

The money will be poured into the city centre, withough any thought to the needs of the towns and villages of the district where most of the councillors actually hold their seat - and we all know how big city centre projects are managed!

An interesting quote at the end of the report:“...the EU heads of state, then announced a £12 billion fund to help small businesses deal with the financial situation...We still haven’t seen a mechanism for that. There’s a lot of rhetoric but no delivery.”

So, all talk and no money from the EU. The money we would get from this EU fund is a lot less than we put in, as we pay billions for this foreign bureaucracy. And apparently we can't even get our hands on that EU money. Sounds about right for the EU, why do we put up with it? I’m sure the French businesses get our money easy enough.

T&A Report: http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/4038170.___City_is_ready_for___10bn_cash_boost___/